The House of Artistic Industry

The House of Artistic Industry, also known as the House of Czechoslovak Work, was commissioned by the eponymous association. Shortly before World War II, it replaced the historical U Tří zvonků building and, together with the ARA Palace, became a representative of functionalist architecture on Národní třída (National Avenue). The final design was created by architect Oldřich Starý, who was a professor at the Prague University of Technology and also the author of many villas, such as those in Na Babě and Hanspaulka. The design features the use of a reinforced concrete skeleton, continuous ribbon windows along the entire length of the facade, and chromed elements on the ground floor of the building. After the revolution, the building was privatized, and its poor condition began to worsen. It lost its main purpose, and the current owner has been delaying the reconstruction of this functionalist cultural monument.